Elevator-door control



Dec. 8, 1925 V H. J. FEAR ELEVATOR DOOR CONTROL Filed Oct. 6.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Harv/b J/Eor BY M ATTORNEYS Dec. 8, 1925- H. J. FEAR ELEVATOR DOOR CONTROL File O 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR Ham/d J fieqr ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD J. FEAR, OF MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASBIGNOR TO ELEVATOR SUPPLIES COMPANY, 1110., OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY. A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ELEVATOR-DOOR CONTROL.

Application filed October 6, 1924. Serial No. 741,910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. HAROLD J. FEAR, a citizen of the United States, residin at Montclair, in the county of Essex and tate of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Elevator-Door Controls, of which the following is a clear,

full, and exact descri tion.

This invention re ates to elevator gateoperating mechanism, and more particularly to the automatic control of such mechanism.

In modern elevator installations the time required by a car to make a trip from the bottom of the hatchway to the top and return is an important consideration, since the number of cars required to handle given traflic depends on this time. This time may be lessened either by increasing the speed of the cars, or by decreasing the time required for stops at the landings. The time spent in opening the gates after the car reaches a landing and closing them as the car leaves is an important factor in the total time required for a trip, especially now that the safety of the passengers often requires the provision of gates on the cars as well as for the openings at the landings.

One object of this invention is to provide ate-operating mechanism which will shorten t e time spent after the car reaches the landing in operating the gates, and thereby cut down the time required for a round trip of the car.

Elevator operators in their anxiety to make better time frequently open the car tes while the car is still a considerable istance from the landing, or even fail to close the car ates at. all, thereby defeating the pur use 0% the car gates, whlch is to increase t e safety of the passengers. Various expedients have been suggested to end this practice, but, so far as known, all constructions that prevent openin of the ates before the car reaches the landing felay the car and are thus uneconomical.

Another object of this invention is to provide controlling means for the gate-operating mechanism which wholly eliminates the temptation of the operator to open the gates prematurely, while enabling the car to make as good time as if no car gates were employed.

In accomplishing these objects, the invention contemplates the removal from the operator of the duty to open the gates as the car stops at a landing, and the provision of automatic means to control the opening of the gates at the proper time. Since it is sometimes necessary to reopen the gates after they have been closed, operator-controlled means are also provided for opening the gates, but in order to prevent a premature opening, the operators controlling means are preferably designed to be inoperative until the hoisting motor is cut out.

It is well known that the fastest gate operation may be achieved by the use of pneumatic en 'nes to move the gates, and the invention as therefore been illustrated in connection with such operating means, but the invention may also be used to advantage in connection with gates operated by other means.

In order to decrease the time required to leave a landing, the closing movement of the gate-o crating means is preferably controlle by a button located in the handle of the operators switch lever which controls the hoisting motor. The operator is then ready to start the car as soon as he has operated the gate-closing button, and furthermore need never remove his hand from the lever.

Some of the desirable results attained by the invention may be realized in elevator installations where the cars are without gates, only the openings at the landings having gates.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a circuit diagram'of the invention employing an electric motor to actuate the gate-operating mechanism Fig. 2 is a similar diagram showing solenoids instead of a motor;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are vertical elevations of various types of mechanism for controlling the operation of the gates'according to this invention;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of an electromagnetic switch carried by the car, in its normal position occupied while the car 'is running past a floor;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the switch shown in-Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the switch;

F i 9 is a view on a reduced scale showing the switch of Fig. 6 in the position occupied as the car slows down to stop at a floor;

Fig. 10 shows the switch 1n the position occupied while the car is standing at a floor and Fig. 11 is a view showing the front of a car as seen from the left of Fig. 3.

In Figs. 3, 4 and 5 there are shown three floor landings 12 having doorways which may be closed by gates or doors 13. Three cars 14, 15 and "16 travel in the hatchway under the control of hoisting motors one of which is shown diagrammatically at 17 in Fig. 1. At each floor landing there is positioned a cam 18 projecting into the hatchway and havin a vertically extending face, the length 0% which determines the length of the zone Within which the car must come to a stop in order that the doors shall open automatically. Near the right-hand front corner of each car there is secured to the under frame, below the floor, an electromagnetically operated switch 19. The cars are also preferably provided with car gates 20. The gates at the floor landings are opened by pneumatic engines 21 which are connected thereto by any desired type of linkage (not shown), in such a manner that the admission of air to the engine will open the door, while upon the opening of an exhaust port a sprin contained within the on he will close the oor. The engines 21 which 0 rate the landin gates 13 are controlled y valves 23 having operating levers 24 arranged to connect the engine cy inders with an exhaust port when in the position .shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, and to admit compressed air from the line 25 when moved counter-clockwise as seen in said figures. In order to render the landing gate valves controllable from the car, there is provided a false trip 26 consisting of a bell crank lever pivotally secured in the hatchway at each landing. The left-hand arm of each bell crank 26 is linked to the free end of its valve lever 24 by a link 27.

Each car is rovided with a movable cam to actuate the also tri at any landing when the gates at that Ian ing are to be opened. This cam is shown at 28 in Fig. 3 and at 28' in Fi 4 and 5. The cam 28 is pivoted to the le -hand ends of two bell cranks 29 pivoted to the side of the car, while the right-hand arms of the cranks 29 are pivoted to a rod 30 which hangs from a in 31, ecentrically mounted on a disk 32, which is supported for rotation with the shaft 33 of a torque motor 34. When the car is equipped with a car ate. the lower end of rod 30 is pivoted to be free end of a lever 35 which operates the car gate valve 36 to operate the engine 22 which opens and closes car gate. 20. In Figs. 4 and 5, the cam 28' is operated pneumatically b an engine 37 to which air is admitted t rough the car gate valve 36 from the same pressure line which admits air to the car gate engines 22. In Fig. 4 there is shown a solenoid having an o ning coil 38 and a closing coil 39, whic actuates the car gate valve lever 35 by attracting the magnetic core which is'connected to said lever as shown. In Fig. 5 the valve 36 is actuated by a motor 40 which rotates the movable portion of the valve through reduction gearing 41 to open or close the valve in accordance with the direction of rotation of motor 40. It will be observed that whether or not car gates are used there is provided an electroma netic device to control the movement of t e movable cam, either directly as in Fig. 3 or pneumatically as in Figs. 4 and 5. \Vhichever type of cam is employed will, when advanced b operation of its electromagnetic control ing means, strike the false trip and thereby open the te at the landing which the car is near. e length of the movable cam 28 or 28' defines a zone within which the car must stop to open the landing gate, as it is obvious that the cam cannot strike the false trip until the car has come sufliciently near the landing that the false trip is in the nth of movement of the cam when operated.

The electromagnetically o erated switch 19, which is carried b'elow t e car may be of any suitable construction, but preferably, as shown in Figs. 6 to 10, consists of a frame 42 within whichis mounted a solenoid winding 43 within which is mounted a magnetic core piece or armature 44. The armature is sup rted on a screw-eye 45 journalled on a pin 46, mounted in two cars 47 at one end of an armature lever 48. Lever 48 is ournalled on a pin 49 carried in cars 50 w ich depend from opposite sides of the front of frame 42. The armature lever has a forward extension 52 from the free end of which extends a preferably integral arm 53. In order to make the forward arm 52 of the armature lever light and strong, it is preferably formed as a flat horizontal sheet 54 having a central flange 55 pro- {ecting upwardly near its center and a simiar flange 55 proiecting downwardly below the first flange. The free end of lever arm 52 is enlarged to form a boss 56 which carries a transverse pin 57. The up 7 1' end of extension 53 of the armature ever is shaped to rest in contact with a cushion 58- mounted on the frame. The weight of armature 44 is suflicient to retract the arma-. ture lever and hold the same in the posh tion shown in Fig. 6 when coil 43 is deenergiaed, but a sprin 59 may, if desired, be stretched between t e frame and extension 53' to hasten retractile movement of the armature.

Two movable contacts 60, 61 are mounted in insulating bushing? 62 transversely spaced on extension 53 of t e armature lever. The contacts 61 are preferably threaded at their lower ends to receive nuts 63 to which condoctors may be secured, and are normally held in the position shown in Fig. 6 by compression springs 64. To complete the circuit between contacts 60 and 61 there is provided a conducting plate 65'carried by a second lever movably mounted on the armature lever. This second lever designated as a whole by 66 should be of the lightest construction consistent with necessary strength, and therefore preferably consists of a more or less rectangular yoke 67, the lower ends of which are pivotally supported on pin 57 carried by boss 56 of the armature lever. As seen in Fig. 6, the pivot arms have fingers 68 which normally engage the lower face of sheet 54 to limit movement of the contact plate 65 away from the spring contacts 60, 61. A spring 69 connects extension 53 with one of the fingers 68 normal] to hold lever 66 in the position shown in ig. 6, in which plate 65 is removed from the sprin contacts, and the circuit therebetween is t us interrupted. ,In order that lever 66 may be moved to close the circuit between contacts 60 and 61 by the cams 18 situated at the landings in the hatchwav, an upwardly and outwardl ex tending bracket 70 is secured as by bo ts 71 to the outer vertical face of frame 67. A cushion roller 72 is suitably journalled at the end of bracket 70 in any desired manner.

From the foregoing description of the structure of the electromagnetically operated switch 19, it will be apparent that so long as magnet coil 43 is deener ized the lever 66 and its roller 72 will be eld in a position to avoid landing cams 18 as the car travels in the hatchway and the switch will be open. When coil 43 is energized, the armature 44 is attracted and moves both armature lever 48 and the second lever 66 so as to throw roller 72 into position to engage the cam 18 at the landin which the car next reaches. Until the re] er strikes the cam, the arts are in the osition shown in Fig. 9 ant theswitch is still open. As soon as the roller 72 rides up on the face of the cam, armature lever 48 being still held in its attracted position by the ener ized coil 43, lever 66 is rotated counter-cloc wise until conducting plate 65 bridges contacts 60 and 61 toclose the switch and complete a circuit to be described. If while the car is at a landing with roller 72 resting on a cam 18, coil 43 is deenergized, armature lever 48 will be retracted to open the switch at once. Moreover, the roller 72 will be withdrawn from engagement with the cam byv bodily movement of lever 66 caused by the counter-clockwise rotation of the armature lever.

The operating circuits for the mechanism shown In Fi 3 are indicated diagrammatically in ig. 1. From the description of the mechanism it will be apparent that if torque motor 34 is rotated a fraction of a turn (usually threeuarters of a turn), rod 30 will be lowered, t -liereby opening the car gate valve 36 to open the car gate, and throwing out cam 28 to strike false trip 26 which opens landing gate valve 23 and thereby opens the landing gate. To control the operation of torque motor 34 there is provided a reversing switch having fixed contacts 73, 74, and 76, and movable contacts 73, 74', 75 and 76'. The movable contacts 73 and 74' are mounted on an insulating base carried b the plunger of a solenoid 7 7 arrang when energized to close the movable contacts against the fixed contacts. Contacts 7.3" and 76 are similarl controlled by a solenoid 78. The two soenoid'plungers are linked together by a pivoted lever 79 which prevents the closing of both sets of contacts at the same time, even thou h both coils 77 and 78 are energized. In or er that the circuit for torque motor 34 may be automatically com leted when the car nears a floor at which it is to stop, there is provided a switch, here shown as a fixed contact 80, and a movable contact 81 operated by a member 82 movable with the brake 83 of the hoisting motor 17 which hoists the car. The operation is as follows: When the car approaches floor 12, it may be stopped by opening the energizing circuit of motor 17 at the o rators control handle 105. When the hoisting motor 17 is cut out, brake magnet 84, which is usually connected in the hoisting motor circuit, deenergizes and closes contact 81 a ainst contact 80. A circuit is thereby comp eted to energize coil 43 of electromagnetic switch 19, which may be traced from a source of wer 85 through conductor 86,-coil 43, con uctor 87, switch 88, and conductor 89 to the opposite pole of the source of ower. Armature lever 48 is thereby move to throw operating member 66 into position to engage the cam 18 at the landing. When the car comes within the gate-openin zone of the landing, roller 72 moves switc i-operating member 66 counterclockwise to close contacts 60, 61 in themannor previously described. The closing of this switch establishes an energizing circuit for opening coil 78 which may bu traced from the right-hand side of the source of power 85, contacts 81, 80, conductor 89, switch 88, conductor 87, contacts 60, 61, conductor 90, switch contacts 91 of a relay 92, roll 78, conductors 93 and 86 to the left-hand side of the source of power. Opening coil 7 8 in energizing closes contacts 75, 75' and 76, 7 6 to operate torque motor 34 over a circuit which may be traced from the right-hand side of the source of power 85,contacts 81, 80, conductor 94, contacts 75, 7 5', armature 95, contacts 76', 7 6, field winding 96 of the motor, conductors 93 and '86 to the left-handside of the source of power. The path of the cur- Ill rent through the armature and field winding, just traced, rotates the armature with its shaft 33 in a counter-clockwise direction until arm 32 strikes a stop 97. During this fractional turn of the torque motor, rod 30 is lowered and the car and landing gates are consequently opened in the manner previously described. Arm 32 of the motor near the completion of its turn strikes a movable con.- tact 98 and moves it into enga ment with a fixed contact 99, as shown in otted lines in Fig. 1, thereby completing an energizing circult for relay 92 which may be traced from the left-hand side of the source of power, conductors 86 and 93, cont-acts 98, 99, winding of relay 92, conductor 90, switch contacts 61, 60, conductors 87 and 89, and the brake magnet contacts to the right-hand side of the source of power. Relay 92 in liftin its plun er opens switch contacts 91 and c oses switcfii contacts 100. It will be recalled that the circuit for opening coil 78, which was automatically completed as the car reached the floor, extended through contacts 91 of relay 92 so that the o ening of these contacts prevents a secon automatic energization of opening coil 78, and thereby prevents a second automatic opening of the gates so long as contacts 91 remain open. In order that these contacts may beheld open as long as the car stands at the floor, irrespective of the position of the torque motor and contacts 98, 99, there is provided a holding circuit for-relay 92 which places this relay under the control of the brake m net 84, so that relay 92 will remain energize until the car leaves the floor. The holdin circuit may be traced from the ri ht-han side of the source of power, throng the brake magnet contacts, conductors, 89, 87, switch contacts 60, 61, conductor 90, winding of relay 92. and contacts 100 thereof to the left-hand side of the source of power.

The opening of contacts 91 deenergizes opening coil 78 thereby opening contacts 7 5, T5 and '76, 76 to interrupt the circuit for the torque motor. There is thus no loss of power' while the car stands at a floor, the only parts of the apparatus drawin current during that time being the coil 43 o electromagnetic switch 19 and the winding of relay These may be made of hi it resistance so that the current consumption is small. However, if the car is to be left idle for a long period, such as over night, switch 88 may be opened and there is then no current at all being consumed by the gate-actuating mechanism. 7

When the car conductor desires to leave the floor he should manually close a switch which will actuate the gate-o eratin mechanism to close the gates. refera Iy two switches are provided for this purpose, one a push-button 101 and the other a... pair of normally open contacts 102 which are in alignment with a pin 103 upon which is mounted the handle 104 of the lever 105 which controls the suppl of current to the hoisting motor 17, when t e lever 105 is in its off position, which is should occupy while the car is standing at a floor. The conductor without removing his hand from the control lever presses handle104 so that pin 103 closes contacts 102. The closing coil 77 is thereby energized over a circuit WhlCh may be traced from the right-hand side of the source of power, brake magnet contacts, condoctor 89, switch 88, contacts 102, closing coil 77 conductors 93 and 86 to the left-hand side of the source of power. Upon the energization of the closing coil, contacts 73, 73 and 74, 74' are closed to complete a circuit for the motor which may be traced from the right-hand side of the source of power,brake magnet contacts, conductors 89, 94, contacts 73, 3 through the armature 95, contacts 74', 74, field winding 96, and conductors 93 and 86 to the left-hand side of the source of power. This circuit causes the motor to rotate in a clockwise direction until arm 32 abuts a stop 106. Such rotation of the motor raises rod 30 to withdraw cam 28 from contact with false trip 26, thus permitting means such as a spring, not shown, to restore landing ate valve 23 to normal position, as a. result of which the landing gate closes. Rod 30 in being lifted also restores car gate valve 36 to normal position, and the car gate closes. At the beginning of the rotation of the motor arm 32 ll; opened contacts 98, 99, thereby interrupting the initial energizing c'rcuit for relay 92, but this relay remains energized over the previously traced holding circuit through its contacts 100. The operator, having pressed handle 104 to close contacts 102, releases the pressure and the contacts open to dcenergize closing coil 77. 1

Should the conductor for any reason dcsire to again open the gates, he may ress pushbutton 107 to energize opening (011 78 over a circuit which may be traced from the right-hand side of the source of power, brake magnet contacts, conductor 89, switch 88, switch 107, coil 78, conductors 93 and 86, to the left-hand side of the source of power. The gates may be closed again by pressure on handle 104' or pushbutton 101, so that once the car has stopped at a floor and the gates have been 0 ened automatically, they may be controlle at will by the operator through opening and closing switches.

As the car conductor shifts lever 105 to cut in the hoisting motor, brake magnet 84 is energized, opening contacts and 81 to deenergize coi 43 of the electromagnetic switch 19. The holding circuit for the relay 92 is interrupted at the same time, so that relay 92 deenergizes and closes its contacts 91 preparatory to the automatic completion of the circuit for opening coil 78 for the next stop at a landing. Switch coil 43, in deenergizing, opens contacts 60, 61 and withdraws roller 72 from position to strike cams 18, so that all parts of the operating circuits for the gates are in normal position, and no power is being consumed.

The operating circuits just described in connection with gate-operating mechanism actuated by a torque motor 34, are identical in every respect when there is substituted 2).- motor 40 (see Fi 5) making a number of revolutions in or. er to open valve 36 by means of the reduction gearing ll, but the arm 32 which closes contacts 98, 99 when the valve is fully open must be mounted on a rotating part of the valve instead of on the motor shaft.

The circuits employed with the structure shown in F ig. 4, in which valve. lever 35 is moved to open valve 36 by an opening coil 38 and to close the valve by a closing coil 39 of a solenoid, are shown in Fig. 2. It will be observed that opening coil 38 is placed in circuit as a substiutute for opening coil 78 of the reversing switch, and closing coil 39 is placed in the circuit as a substitute for closing coil 77 of the reversing switch. The parts above the dotted line are exactly as shown in Fig. 1, and have not therefore been reproduced. As the car stops at a floor, opening coil 38 is automatically energized over the same circuit traced in F ig. 1 for opening coil 78, but in this case coil 38 itself moves the plunger to the left and opens valve 36. At the end of the stroke of the plunger a. conducting disk carried by the plunger interconnects contacts 98 and 99 for the purpose previously described in connection with Fig. 1. To close the gates the conductor operates switch 101 or handle 104 to energize cloein coil 89 which closes valve 36 and thereby closes the ates. The righthand movement of the so enoid plunger also opens contacts 98, 99.

In the constructions shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the car must be supplied with pressure fluid, such as air, and a valve 36 to control cam 28', even though no'car gates are employed, but in the construction shown .in *ig. 1 the car needs no air an ply since cam 28 is thrown out mechanica ly by rod The invention may be used with any of e other well-known types of door-actuating apparatus, but in all cases there will be some electromagnetic device to perform the function of the to us motor 34 shown in Fig 3, the solenoid windings 38, 39 shown in ig. 4, or the motor 40 shown in Fig. 5. The circuit for the electromagnetic switch 19 will be completed either by brake magnet contacts or by some movable member. so that the circuits described will serve to automatically open the landing gates, and car gates when provided, whenever the car stops at a land ing, regardless of the particular mechanism employed to apply power to the gates.

\Vhat I claim as new is:

1. In combination, a hatchway having floor landings, gates at the landings, a car, a hoisting motor and means to cut out the same, gate operating mechanism at the floors, a relay to control the gate opening movement of said mechanism, an operating circuit for said relay including a normally open switch carried by the car, cams at the landings, a member to close said switch normally held out of line with the cams, and means operated when the hoisting motor is cut out for throwing said member into position to strike the cam and close the switch as the car reaches the landing.

.2. In combination, a hatchway having floor landings, cams at the landings, a car and hoisting means therefor, means for controlling the hoisting means, a switch on the car, means responsive to the closing of the switch for opening the gate at the landing which the car is near, a lever to close the switch upon engagement with one of the cams, said lever being normally out of position to engage a cam, and means operated when the hoisting means is cut out for moving the lever into position to engage a cam.

3. In combination, a hatchway having floor landings, gates at the landings, cams at thedandings, a car and hoistin means, a switch carried by the car, a switc operating lever whose normal path of movement does not intersect the cams, means responsive to the cutting out of the hoisting means for throwing said lever into position to engage a cam as the car reaches a floor, the lever be ing moved by engagement with a cam to close the switch, and an electromagnetic device operated by closure of the switch to open t e gate at the fioorat which the car is to stop.

4. In combination, a hatchway having floor landings, gates at the landings, a car, a hoisting motor and means to cut out the same, cams in the hatchway at the floors, an electromagnetic responsive device carried-by the car and having a lever normally out of alignment with t e cams. means operated when the hoisting motor is cut out to energize said device to move its leverinto line with the cams, and means' responsiveito the enga ement of a com with the lever for opening the gate of the floor at which the car stops.

5. In combination, a. hatchway having floor landings, gates at the landings, cams at the landings, a car and hoisting means therefor, a magnet carried by the car, an armature lever for the magnet, a second lever movably mounted on the first lever. normally 0 n contacts on said levers, meaps for norma ly holding the second lever in position to avoid the came as the car travels,

means operated when the hoisting means is cut out for energizing said magnet to attract its armature lever and thereby move the second lever into position to engage a cam when the car nears a floor, the cam in engaging the second lever moving the latter to close the contacts, a relay energized in response to the closure of the contacts, and means for opening the gate of the floor at which the car is to stop in response to the energization of the relay.

6. In combination, a hatchway having floor landings, gates at the landings, a fluid pressure engine to open each gate, a valve to control each engine, a car and hoisting means therefor, a movable cam carried on the car, an electromagnetic device to control the movement of the cam, means antomatically actuated when the car op proaches a floor with the hoisting means cut out for energizing said electromagnetic device to operate the cam, and means engageable with the operated cam to open the re re for the engine at the floor the car is approaching.

7. In combination, a hatchway having floor landings, gates at the landings, a fluid pressure engine to operate each gate, a valve to control each engine, an. operating lever for each valve projecting into the hatchway, a fixed cam at each landing, a car and hoisting means therefor, a member on the car normally clearing the cams but movable into position to engage therewith as the car nears a, floor, a movable cam on the car normally clearing the valve operating levers but arranged when displaced to engage and actuate the lever at the floor which the car is near, means automatically actuated when the hoisting means are cut out to operate the movable member on the car, and means rcsponsive to the engagement of said member with a hxed cam tor displacing the movable cam on the car, whereby the gate at a floor will be automatically opened as the car stops at that floor.

8. In combination, a hatchway having floor landings, a car, a hoisting motor and means to cut out the same, a gate at each landing, a gate on the car, an engine individual to each gate to operate each gate, electromagnetica ly actuated means to control the car ate engine and the engine at the landing w iich the car is near, and means operated automatically when the car comes within a predetermined distance from a landin with the motor cut out for operating said e ectromagnetically actuated controllinsg means to open the gates.

In combination, a hatchway havin floor landing, a car, a hoisting motor an means to cut out the same, gates at the landings and on the car, gate opening mechanism individual to each ate and means automatically actuated w 6n the car nears a floor with the hoistin motor cut out to open the car gate and are landing gate at that floor onl 10. In com ination, a hatchway havin floor landings, a car, a hoisting motor and means to cut out the same, gates at the landings and on the car, gate opening mechanism individual to each gate, and means antomatically actuated when the car comes within a predetermined distance of a floor with the hoisting motor cut out for operatmg the car gate opening mechanism and for thereafter operating the gate opening mechanism at the landing which the car is near.

11. In combination, a hatchway having floor landings, a car, a hoisting motor and means to cut out the same, gates at the landings and on the car, cams at the landings, a switch on the car, an operating member for the switch normally held out of position to en age the cams, means automatically actuated when the hoisting motor is cut out to move said member into position to engage a cam and close the switch as the car nears a landing, gate opening mechanism, electromagnetic means to control the gate opening mechanism, and an operating circuit for sai electromagnetic means completed by the closure of the switch.

12. In combination, a hatchway havin floor landings, a car, a hoisting motor and means to cut out the same, gates at the landlugs and on the car, pneumatic engines to operate the gates, a valve for each engine, an electromagnetic device to control the operation of the car gate valve, a movable cam on the car operated whenever the car gate valve is operated, linkage actuated by the cam when operated to operate the landing gate valve at the landing the car is near, an electromagnetic device to operate the car gate valve, an operating circuit for said device, a normally open switch on the car to complete said circuit, cams at the landings, a switch operating lever carried on the car normally out of position to engage the cams, and means responsive to the cutting out of the hoisting motor for projecting said lever into position to engage a cam as the car nears a floor and thereby close said switch, whereby the gates will automatically open when the car stops at a floor.

13. In combination, a hatchway having landings, gates at the landings, a car, a hoisting motor and means to out out the same, gate operating mechanism, an electroma etic device carried on the car to contro the mechanism of the gate at the landing which the car is near, a relay to actuate said controlhn means, an operating circuit for the re ay completed when the car nears a floor with the hoisting motor cut out, a second relay to interrupt the circuit of the first relay, and a switch operated when said controlling means are actuated lllil to complete an operating circuit for said second relay.

14. In combination, a hatchway having floor landings, a car, a hoisting motor and means to cut out the same,gates at the land ings and on the car, mechanism to o crate the gates, electromagnetic opening an closing coils to control respectively the opening.and closing movement of said mechanism, an operating circuit for the openin coil including an electro-magnetic switci carried by the car and the normal contacts of a relay, means controlled in accordance with the travel of the car for closing said switch as the car nears a landing with the hoisting motor cut out and maintaining closed said switch while the car stops at a landing thereby completing the opening coil circuit to open the gates. a contact closed by said mechanism to complete the circuit for said relay thereby interrupting the opening coil circuit, and a circuit including said switch to hold said relay energized to prevent a second automatic opening of the gates while the car stands at a landing.

15. In combination, a hatchway having floor landings, a car, a hoisting motor and means to' cut out the same, gates at the landings, pneumatic engines to operate the gates, valves for the engines, mechanism on the car to open the valve of the en ine at the landing which the car is near an thereby open thegate at that landing, an electromagnetic device on the car to control said mechanism, an operating circuit for said device automatically completed when the car approaches a landing with the hoistin motor cut out and including the norma contacts of a relay, an energizin circuit for said relay completed when said valve opening mechanism is actuated to open the gate, and a holding circuit for said relay including a switch closed until the car starts, whereby the gate will not automatically open a second time while the ear stands at a landing.

in. In combination, a hatehway having floor landings a car and hoisting means, gates at the landings, an electromagnetic device to control openings of the gate at the landing which the car is near, means actu aleol when the hoisting means is cut out to prepare a circuit for said gate opening do vice. and means at a landing to complete the circuit and open the gate when the. car comes within a predetermined distance of the landing.

17. In combination a hatchway having lloor landings. gates at the landings. a fluid pressure device controlling each gate, a valve for each device, a car and hoistin means, a controller therefor, a cam on eac car for actuating said valve and electromagnetically controlled means brought into operation in the neutral position of said controller to move said cam into operative pos'ition.

18. In combination a hatchway having tloor landings, gates .at the landings, fluid pressure devices controlling the said gates, a valve to control said devices, a car and hoisting means therefor, a controller for said hoisting means, a movable cam carried on the car, an electro-magnetic device to control the movement of the cam, means actuated upon moving the controller in its neutral position for controlling said electromagnetic dcvice to cause the cum to be moved into operative position and means cngageable with the cam to operate the valve for the fluid pressure devices at the floor the car is approaching to open the gate at this floor.

19.111 combination a hatchway having tloor landings, gates at the landings, a fluid pressure device for controlling each gate, a valve for each device, a car, hoistin means therefor. a controller for said oisting means, a contact member carried on the car and movable with relation to the car, a movable (.l'CIl'lelllI at each floor for engagement with said contact member, connections between said movable elementand valve for actuating the valve and means brought into operation upon movement of the controller to neutral position to move said contactanember into operative position and thereby actuate the said movable element to open the gate at the landing at which the car is stopped, said means c01nprising an clectro-magnetic device controlled by said controller.

20. In combination a hatchway having lloor landings, gates at the landings, a fluid pressure device for controlling each gate, a valve for each device, a car, hoisting means therefor, a controller for the said hoisting means. a contact member on the car and movable with relation to the car into and out of operative position, a movable element at eachfloor for engagement with said contact member, connections between said movable elei'nent and the valve for actuating the valve and means controlled by said controller for moving said contact member into and out of operative position and com- ,prising an electric-magnetic device for moving said contact member in one direction.

21. In combination a habchway having floor landings, gates at the landings, a fluid pressure device for controlling each gate, a valve for each device. a car. hoistin means therefor. a controller for the saidlioisting means a contact member on the car and movable with relation to the car into and out of operative position, a movable element at each floor for engagement with said contact member. connections between said movable element and the valve for actuating the valve and automatic means controlled by the position of said controller for moving said contact member into operative position when the controller is moved into neutral position, said last means comprising an electro-ma netic device and a switch therefor controfied by said controller.

22. In combination a hatchway havin floor landings, gates at the landings, a fiui pressure' device for controlling each gate, a valve for each device, a car, hoisting means therefor, a controller for said hoisting means. a contact member carried on the car and movable with relation to the car, a

movable element at each floor for engagement with said contact member, connections between said movable element and the valve for actuating the valve and means controlled by said controller to move said contact member into 0 erative position upon moving said control er to neutral position,

and thereby actuate the said movable element to open the gate at the landing at which the car is stopped.

Signed at New York, New York, this 27th day of September, 1924.

HAROLD J. FEAR.

ill

by the position of said controller for moving said contact member into operative position when the controller is moved into neutral position, said last means comprising an electro-ma netic device and a switch therefor controlled by said controller.

22. In combination a hatchway havin floor landings. gates at the landings, a fluid pressure'device for controlling each gate, a valve for each device, a car, hoisting means therefor, a controller for said hoisting means. a contact member carried on the car and movable with relation to the car, a

Certificate It is hereb certified that in Letters 1925, upon t e a improvement in tion requlrmg correction as follows: P

movable element at each floor for engagement with said contact member, connections between said movable element and the valve for actuating the valve and means controlled by said controller to move said contact member into operative position upon moving said controller to neutral position, and thereby actuate the said movable element to open the gate at the landing at which the car is stopped.

Signed at New York, New York, this 27th day of September, 1924.

HAROLD J. FEAR.

of Correction.

Patent No. 1,565,143, granted December 8,

lication of Harold J. Fear, of lllontcl'air, New Jersey, for an levator-Door Controls, an error appears in the printed specllicaage 7, line 76, claim 1 8, for the word 1n read into; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case 1n the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 19th day of January, A. D. 1926.

WM. A. KINNAN, Acting Gammissimwrpf Patents.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereb certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,565,143, granted December 8, 1925, upon t e ap lication of Harold J. Fear, of Montclair, New Jersey, for an improvement in levator-Door Controls, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 7, line 76, claim 18, for the word in read into; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 19th day of January, A. D. 1926.

[emu] WM. A. KINNAN,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

